My favorite place

Aurora sneaked out of her room at 5 a.m., just as promised, to meet Dante. The previous night, most of the employees had stayed in a nearby hotel, including both Aurora and Dante.

"Hi," she said softly, sliding into the front seat of Dante's car.

"Hello," he replied with a sweet smile, his eyes glancing at her before he started the engine and drove off. They chatted about random things along the way, the soft hum of music in the background, making the drive comfortable and easy.

As they neared their destination, Dante pulled off the road and parked by the ocean. The sky was still dark, the sun not yet risen, leaving the world in a calm, quiet stillness.

Aurora gazed out over the water, immediately sensing why this place was special to him.

"This is my favorite place," Dante began, his voice a mix of nostalgia and warmth. "My parents used to bring me here every so often when I was younger. We'd spend hours just walking along the shore. After they died in a car accident, I started coming back here alone. It helps me feel connected to them, even now." He paused, looking out at the horizon, lost in thought. "I have a lot of pictures of us here, and whenever I feel lost or overwhelmed, I come here. It calms me, helps me sort through my thoughts."

Aurora's heart tightened at his words. She could see the weight of the memories in his eyes. Though she wanted to ask more, she didn't want to bring up the pain of his past again. Instead, she offered him a soft, reassuring smile.

"So, when you're here.....," she asked gently, her voice full of tenderness, "do you feel like your parents are still with you? Like they're here with you, watching over you?"

Dante turned to her, and after a beat, he nodded, a small, knowing smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Yeah," he said quietly. "It's the closest I feel to them now."

They continued to walk along the beach, the early morning light beginning to creep over the horizon. The sky slowly shifted from dark blue to a lighter shade, and the first quarter of the sun peeked above the ocean's surface. The world around them was serene, almost magical. The cool wind rustled the air, the ocean stretched out endlessly before them, and the sky held the promise of a new day.

They stopped for a moment, standing side by side, their eyes meeting in a gaze that felt deeper than words. Time seemed to stand still as the beauty of the moment surrounded them .... the sun rising, the gentle breeze, the vastness of the ocean.

Aurora's heart fluttered as she looked at him, the weight of the connection between them becoming undeniable. In that quiet, perfect moment, with the world around them at peace, "I love you".